Lisa Ridd

I’m the founder of Smitten Films and I’m raising my 3 little people in TriBeCa, NYC. I was raised in Virginia by a Panamanian mother and an American father, went to college in Massachusetts, lived abroad in Argentina, lived it up in NYC in my 20’s, fell in love HARD with an English/Frenchman, became a British citizen after 7 years in London, and settled back in New York City in 2013. I’m living a life I’ve always dreamed of: one full of love, creativity, passion, curiosity, and friendship.

There is no passion to be found playing small - in settling for a life that is less than the one you are capable of living

Interested In

Business, Collaboration, Networking, Inspiration

Best advice you've ever been given

My father (who raised 3 confident girls while married to one of the most fiercely independent women I have ever known - my mother!) told me to not let ANYONE tell me I can't do something just because I'm a girl. It's not a huge coincidence that I ended up as one of the few females in the completely male dominated world of finance and that I considered myself as worthy of being there as all the men around me.

Personal Passions, Charities, Hobbies:

I love travel, reading, dance, playing sports (especially tennis), cooking, and design. I know it sounds cliche, but I am passionate about raising intelligent, curious, and kind human beings.

The charity nearest to my heart is Gilda's Club (for anyone who has been touched by cancer) but I have also been involved with various mentoring programs in New York City as well as Free Arts NYC.

What do you want to achieve in 2018, personally and professionally?

Personal goals:
-Meeting more people and networking.
-Learn from/share with other women running their own business.
-Fit into that bikini I wore in Miami when I was 22!

Name one thing that scares the shit out of you:

Getting distracted by the things that just don't matter in life. And heights!

If you could tell your 20 year old self one thing, what would it be?

Don't try to be like everyone else. When you are true to yourself, people are drawn to you because you exude confidence and happiness.

Why do you want to be a part of heymama?

At Hey Mama, you have built an amazing community of inspiring mothers. I want to be part of that community of mothers, creators, and doers so that I can not only learn from them, but I can also share my experiences and knowledge. We are stronger when we work together.